Escrow

A trustless, non-custodial payment safeguard for peer-to-peer and high-value transactions.

Overview

SafePulse Escrow is a trustless, non-custodial on-chain escrow service that securely locks funds until both parties meet agreed-upon conditions. Designed for buyers, sellers, freelancers, enterprises, and service providers, it eliminates fraud risks and intermediaries by delivering a secure, automated environment for global payments of any size.

With transparent fees and guaranteed neutrality, smart contracts hold the funds—neither SafePulse nor any third party can access them.

Context & Problem

Digital agreements frequently face payment fraud, delivery disputes, chargebacks, and a lack of trusted middlemen. Centralized escrow alternatives exist but introduce high fees (often 2–10%+), custodial risk, slow dispute resolution, and geographic restrictions.

SafePulse Escrow replaces intermediaries with automation, transparency, and cryptography. Funds are locked in smart contracts, and their status is always visible to both parties. Options for rollback, cancellation, and fund release are controlled entirely by the contract participants under safe, predefined conditions.

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

• A non-custodial wallet installed (e.g., MetaMask, Trust Wallet).
• Network tokens available in your wallet to pay for gas fees.
• The payment token you intend to deposit must be approved for use with the escrow contract.

A. Approving Tokens for Escrow

Before making a deposit, you must grant the escrow smart contract permission to handle your chosen token.

1. Navigate to the Escrow in the Organize section in application.
2. Tap Approve Token.
3. Confirm the transaction in your wallet.
4. Wait for the approval transaction to be confirmed on the network.

Once approved, you are ready to make a deposit.

B. Creating an Escrow Deposit

1. In the Organize section, under the Escrow title, tap Approve (if you haven't already) or proceed to the deposit creation screen.
2. Enter the deposit details:
   • Recipient Address: The wallet address of the seller or payee.
   • Amount: The number of tokens to lock in escrow.
   • Expiration Date: The deadline after which the deposit can be rolled back by the sender if not released or frozen.
3. Select the correct Network and Token for the transaction.
4. Tap Deposit and confirm the transaction in your wallet.
5. After the transaction is successful, the new escrow record will appear in your History.
6. Copy the DID from the transaction details and share it with the other party so they can track the escrow.

C. Managing the Escrow: Release, Cancel, or Freeze

Once a deposit is made, authorized actions can be taken based on the agreement's progress.

Releasing Funds

Use this when all obligations have been met (e.g., work delivered, product received).

• Load the escrow DID.
• Tap Release and confirm the transaction.
• The escrow status will change to release, allowing the recipient to withdraw the funds.

Canceling a Deposit

Use this when conditions fail, a deadline passes, or both parties agree to cancel.

• Load the escrow DID.
• Tap Cancel and confirm the transaction.
• The escrow status will change to cancel, allowing the sender to rollback (withdraw) their funds.

Escrow Lifecycle & Status Guide

This guide details every state, its meaning, and the permissions granted to each party.

Fee Structure

SafePulse Escrow operates with a simple, transparent fee model:

• Deposit Fee: A flat fee paid in the network's native token to initiate the escrow.
• Withdrawal Fee: A flat 1% fee is deducted from the amount when the recipient withdraws released funds.
• No Subscriptions: No access tokens or recurring subscriptions are required.

This makes it cheaper and safer than centralized escrow, even for high-value deals.

Real-World Use Cases

• High-Value Contract Payment: A company locks a $50,000 payment. A developer delivers the project. The company verifies the work and releases the funds.
• P2P Purchase: A buyer deposits payment for a collectible. The seller ships the item. The buyer confirms receipt and releases the funds.
• Freelance/Gig Work: A client deposits funds for a design project. The freelancer completes the work and delivers the files. The client approves and releases the payment.
• Security Deposits & Rentals: A tenant deposits a rental security. At the end of the lease with no issues, the sender cancels the escrow and rolls back the deposit.

Benefits & Drawbacks

Benefits

• Safe for high-value and cross-border payments: Funds are cryptographically secured, not held by a company.
• Non-custodial and censorship-resistant: No third party can freeze, seize, or block your transaction.
• Transparent and automated lifecycle: Both parties can always see the exact on-chain status.
• Eliminates fraud and trust issues: Payment is verifiably locked before delivery.
• Simple, predictable costs: A flat deposit fee and a 1% withdrawal fee, with no hidden costs.

Drawbacks

• Requires blockchain familiarity: Users must understand how to use a non-custodial wallet and manage gas fees.
• Both parties must manage wallets: There is no account recovery service for lost private keys.
• No centralized resolution: A trusted third party cannot arbitrarily reverse a transaction; all outcomes are defined by the contract's rules and the parties' actions.